ANOTHER cup competition and another exit. With every year that passes, the concept of getting through more than one round of a cup competition seems to become more of a distant memory.

Since that glorious day at Wembley in 2011, our record in cup competitions that actually matter has been atrocious. Fortunately, league success has made up for the lack of cup excitement.

For those who made the trip down to the West Midlands to see the latest cup exit, the disappointment would have been doubled due the level of performance from Darlo. In the three FA Cup and Trophy games played this season, there hasn’t been one performance that was worth writing home about. Even the one win against Mossley was challenging to say the least.

For me, more disappointing than the exit was the lost opportunity to raise some much-needed funds through prize money. Hopefully, this year like last, at the end of the season we will be able to overlook a lack of success in the cups because of our exploits in the league.

MONDAY saw the club launch a ‘Netcafe’ with Dave Mills. Fans were encouraged to email questions with Mills providing answers and I thought this was an excellent idea. Given the success of the event, I hope it becomes a regular fixture in between quarterly fans’ forums.

FAST forward to Thursday and the club announced Rob Youhill was being released from his contract to join another NPL club, later announced as Barnsley-based Shaw Lane Aquaforce. It’s disappointing, but with Martin Gray having to trim his squad, Youhill’s departure is probably not a surprise.

Having impressed against us several times while playing for Harrogate Railway Athletic, most fans, me included, were really looking forward to seeing what he could do for us. Despite a string of positive performances when given the opportunity, Youhill has found usurping Stephen Thompson and Adam Mitchell nigh on impossible.

I’ve always thought there is a specific type of player who ticks all the boxes for Gray. Rarely does a player who doesn’t tick the Gray boxes last that long. Sadly, Youhill joins a long list of players to have come and gone.

ON Saturday we welcome Grantham Town to Heritage Park. Hopefully, the weather will do us a favour and allow the match to go ahead. With the league clearly the main focus for this season, it feels like an eternity since we last played. Indeed, it’s almost a whole month since we last played a league game and just as long since we put in a convincing performance.

Struggling just above the relegation zone, Grantham have only won once away from home (at Mickleover Sports). Like many of the teams down towards the bottom of the table, Grantham carry a decent goal threat but are ultimately let down by a weak defence. As long as we keep our concentration defensively, we should fancy our chances of securing three points in our return to league action.

FINALLY, I would just like to wish Brompton Juniors under-10s all the best for their big day at Heritage Park on Saturday along with their head coach Michael Stimson. Arranged by the club’s community programme, they will be enjoying a match day experience. It’s a wonderful opportunity for local kids to see the inner sanctum of real football as opposed to the much-removed version of the game beamed through to our TVs on Sunday afternoons.